womantraveler

Argentina's Mothers Move Us On

Journalist Joanne Omang, back in 1976, first wrote about the courageous Argentine mothers who protested repression and demanded  to know the fate of thousands of their disappeared loved ones, including their children. Omang's vigilance to the deeper story as a Washington Post reporter helped create the new language of "los desaparecidos," the disappeared. Returning to Argentina this year, 30 years later, she observed the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo's annual March of Resistance. Her account in The Nation about the slow but determined progress toward human rights is a thoughtful and moving example of what it means to be a womantraveler.

Girlfriends Getaways in NYC

The approach of spring-to-summer is precisely when I start planning a girlfriends trip to New York City -- and a few other cities girls love. Fortunately the Big Apple's hotels think about us, too, and have come up with some fabulous ways to spend our time and money. These packages are not necessarily for the faint of budget -- but if you've got the bucks or are resolved to put yourselves as a priority for the splurge, you go girls!

Mandarin Oriental's Girl's Guide to Glamour in Gotham includes an insider professional from "Shop Gotham" and some girly buffing up (through August 31). The Alex Hotel's Girls Night Out Package runs for the next 12 months, in case you need to postpone until fall for this midtown luxury accommodation. W Hotel's Wonder Women offer comes with a beauty survival kit, and W Hotels in New York and LA now stock Diane von Furstenberg Emergency Fashion Kits -- in case you need her signature black wrap dress for the theater or your luggage didn't arrive with you. As part of its "Women InTouch" promotion, the Kimpton chain's 70 Park Avenue boutique hotel "Forgot It? We've Got It" essential travel amenities for women travelers. And the Omni Berkshire Place "Phenomenal Fridays" weekend deal is worth a look.

Trump International's Girlfriends Getaway Weekend promises a pajama party and special shopping adventures. Sadly the Beekman Tower Suite Hotel's "Sisters in the City" package for sorority gals has expired, but with its Panhellenic roots and its welcoming attitude toward us sisters, keep the Beekham on your list. Always catering to women, Wyndham Hotels' special deals for us are worth keeping an eye on.

Outside New York:

• Though not available at the Omni Berkshire Place, Omni Hotel's Housewives Hiatus Package with fun and girly goodies offers other locations for those desperates or not-so-desperate among us.
• The Westin Hotel Chicago River North's "Martini, Manicure and Magnificent Mile" package for two girlfriends through September 4 includes shopping discounts and a Nordstrom manicure.

Riding On, Not In, the Train

Rather than advocating hobo-style train-hopping, womantraveler wants to reward this adventurous young journalist for her impressive piece of writing in the San Francisco Chronicle. As an undaunted explorer, she finds danger an acceptable risk in this thrill-seeking subculture that now attracts the middle class.

Palm Springs Update

I've been receiving requests for the latest on the hot new Palm Springs since womantraveler's visit to the area last summer. Happily, the New York Times has brought us thoroughly up to date. Don't forget the early evening drink on the deck of The Lodge at Rancho Mirage, a decadent perch affording a sweeping view of the valley lights.

Whale-Watching in Half Moon Bay

Now is the season for whale-watching along the California coast, and easy access from San Francisco is Half Moon Bay, less than an hour away. Our excuse for a weekend getaway kept us more firmly on the shore, perched on bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean at the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay. On land or on sea, Half Moon Bay is a must-see excursion. (Pick your times carefully -- the two-lane highway winding through the redwoods and eucalyptus of the northern Santa Cruz Mountains can be slow-going on weekends.)

We opted for the Ritz to retreat from the long winter of rains in San Francisco. Built in the grand style of 19th-century seaside lodges, the hotel overlooks 50 miles of ocean -- with plentiful windows embracing the view, and to make up for it on the east side toward the mountains, rooms available with real fireplaces and a cozier feel. The understated elegance of the accommodations and the impeccable service set hotels like the Ritz apart, especially if you can get situated on the club floor with the butler-style amenities. But I've also learned that perfection does not always go hand in hand with luxury prices. To wit, there are a lot of rude rich people with untamed children running amok, as if the parents packed their Louis Vuittons and sent them off to camp. On this busy weekend, the service in the hotel's signature restaurant Navio was a bit off, though the food was delightful. And along the wide open coastal plains, it was a bit jarring to pay the city prices of $35 a day for parking. 

With abundant eco-tourism, quaint shops, notable restaurants and luxury retreats for the nearby dot-com crowd, Half Moon Bay draws a little bit of everyone.

Bay Area Relives 1906 Quake

San Francisco Bay area cultural life during the month of April is fully devoted to the 100th anniversary of the devastating 1906 earthquake and fire. Compelling photography -- some of it never seen before -- and hundreds of special events capture the profound impact of the disaster that occurred on April 18, 1906 at 5:12 a.m., nearly destroyed the city and killed 3000 people.

One of the quirkier expressive moments will come from San Francisco Ballet principal dancer Muriel Maffre who will dance to sounds triggered by seismic movements in an eight-minute performance to be carried over the Internet on April 4. Among the never-seen photography is work by novelist Jack London and family photos on the then-new Kodak Brownie at the San Francisco Main Library. A sweeping display of more than 100 photos are on display at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Matching then and now, an exhibit at the Legion of Honor displays photos of identical sites in 1906 and today.

There are so many activities and commemorations in the greater Bay Area that an entire website with maps, photos and a downloadable calendar is a daily resource for keeping track and planning.

A consortium of scientists, working for two years, have developed a computer simulation of the earthquake's extraordinary violence for a full reconstruction of the ground motions on April 18 at an international conference. This week they released a vivid computer-created video of the tremblor and its progression along the 300-mile San Andreas fault.

Flying: What Happened to Manners?

We all have our miserable air travel stories -- about the passengers, not the airlines. Most of us do not desire a food court or party bus experience while we're crammed on airplanes with people we don't know. We are flying for business, or even pleasure, but we did not choose to spend our day with you -- we got are stuck with you for a few very long hours. So, mind your manners, please! The constant cougher in the next seat, the baby's yogurty fingers allowed to roam by a comatose parent, loud shrieking chatter erupting from the completely unaware behind, the seat in front that moves back and forth -- in and out of your lap. Helen Bryant Anders nailed this phenomenon expertly -- and with a hoot -- in the Austin American-Statesman.

Armchair Journey with Eugene O'Neill

Eugene O'Neill has the reputation for many casual readers of literature as being dark and impenetrable, but Ric Burns' new documentary on PBS' American Masters series is a deeply absorbing experience that brings new life and understanding to one of the greatest American playwrights. The best illustration is Long Day's Journey Into Night, which bears the cumulative impact of his life's work and was produced after his death. I realized in a new way just how uncompromisingly honest, yet hopeful and redemptive, O'Neill was in his treatment of American family relationships by writing an article about the new documentary, which includes live actor performances, for Humanities Magazine. Scheduled for March 27 on PBS stations, it's more than well worth your evening. Check local listings.

A Paris Oasis for Women

Hammam Pacha, an authentic women-only Maghrebi bathhouse in the northern Paris of St-Denis, attracts Parisians in-the-know for massage, waxing, body wraps, steam and more, an enterprising New York Times travel reporter discovered. Next time I'm in the area, I'll be sure to check it out on the easy trip by Métro Line 13. The eucalyptus-scented steam and vigorous peels are among the intense experiences that leave one pleasantly spent after a day of healthy treatments. A closing shot of mint tea is a fitting refresher.

Full Disclosure on Hotel Rates

Marriott International announced that it will inform guests of their total room price in advance -- rather than giving us surprise and extra fees added on to our bill at checkout. Marriott's "Total Tip Pricing" move puts the brakes on the hidden "resort fees" that in some hotels can amount to $10-20 each night for things you'd expect to be part of the service, like housekeeping. While certain chains have always discouraged these add-ons, travelers' complaints sparked a more direct response. Be sure to ask first and read deeply on their websites.